Reserve Cup Round 3
Seneschalstown 0-13 Skryne 1-09
After 47 minutes of Sunday’s Reserve Cup Round 3 game in Fr. Tully Park, Skryne midfielder Robbie Clarke broke through a number of challenges in the Seneschalstown defence to fire over his second point in four minutes. This score moved the Tara men six points clear and with it, Seneschalstown’s hopes of making the semi-finals of the competition looked to be fading fast. However, as things transpired Seneschalstown would reel off the last seven points on the trot to somehow end the day one point ahead and ultimately finish top of the group.
Going into the game, only a win would suffice for Declan Byrne’s men to advance, a draw or victory for the Skryne men would see them go through to the last four. The following 60 minutes we had was full of excitement, mistakes but ultimately it was a keenly contested game between these two age-old local rivals.
Ian Davis, man of the match in the 2010 SFC decider between these two clubs, kicked the opening score of a tit for tat first half with a point from a mark after four minutes. A minute later, Liam Maguire got on the end of a patient Seneschalstown move to kick over off his left boot, but Skryne would knock over two in quick succession as they enjoyed a positive start.
By the 10th minute, Seneschalstown had brought themselves level for a second time, James Meade opening his account for the afternoon before wing-back Séimí Byrne broke through a number of challenges to curl the ball inside the left upright. On the 15 minute mark, Davis edged Skryne back in front, to which Seneschalstown replied with a point from raiding corner back Danny Waters who strode forward to kick a composed score.
Two Skryne points gave them the biggest advantage of the half after 23 minutes, but Byrne had the last say of the half when he excellently flicked a dropping Robbie Finnegan free over the bar to leave the minimum between the teams at the break in favour of the visitors.
Things began to look bleak for the hosts when inside the first five minutes of the second half, Skryne plundered 1-01 for themselves and moved five ahead. A free from Robbie Finnegan nine minutes into the half was Seneschalstown’s only score in a 19 minute spell, as Skryne moved into the aforementioned six point lead as it looked like Seneschalstown’s race was well and truly run.
Slowly but surely however, Seneschalstown began to regain control and for the last 12 minutes would hold Skryne scoreless.
Some patiently worked moves allowed them to claw the deficit back gradually, James Meade kicked the first two of those points both from play. With nine minutes to left, substitute Owen Mullen found himself through on goal and with only the keeper to beat saw his shot cannon off the crossbar and deflect over, leaving three between the teams. Another Meade score from play followed, before excellent high pressure on a Skryne short kickout lead to a player overcarrying inside the ‘D’, which Meade again duly punished.
Seneschalstown still had over five minutes to bring the game level, and that they did when full-back Mark Fox found himself in space on the edge of the D on the right hand side, Fox’s effort arching between the posts and now the momentum was all with the Yellow Furze men.
After a couple of opportunities went abegging and some other attacks broke down, Seneschalstown conjured up one last opportunity to win the game as the clock ticked into injury time. The ever reliable Meade took aim from distance and the wind did its job, helping the ball travel all the way over the bar to move Seneschalstown ahead for the first, and only, time all game. Skryne did have one last half chance but it came to nothing and the hosts cleared which was followed by the full-time whistle. Seneschalstown were delighted with the win, and the way the lads dug it out in the second and stayed in the game when it looked to be getting away from them. The team now advance to a semi-final provisionally fixed for next weekend with exact fixture details to be confirmed in due course.
Seneschalstown: Luke Healy, Óran Lawlor, Mark Fox (0-01), Danny Waters (0-01), Conor McDonnell, Niall McCabe, Séimí Byrne (0-02), Darren O’Brien, Podge Finegan, Robbie Finnegan (0-01, 1f), Joey Moore, Tom McDonnell, Éamon Finnegan, James Meade (0-05, 1f), Liam Maguire (0-01).
Subs Used: Ryan Finnegan, Ronan Conneely, Joe Norris, Cormac Carolan, Peter Tierney, Own Mullen (0-01), Shane Mulvany, Josh Keating, Darren Laird.
